Protected in your arms
by LittleBookOfCalm
Summary: Fred Weasley is lost in battle, his fiancé OC Chloe Malfoy looks back on their time together and wishes for him to be returned to her.


The place Chloe Aphrodite Malfoy felt most comfortable was in her boyfriends lap. She felt safe and protected. It was a place where she never wanted to move from, if she could help it.

When news came that they couldn't find him after a battle with Voldemort and his followers, she froze. He made her safe. He made her happy. He made her smile and now he could be dead, could be captured! She shook her head.

"Find him. Locate him. I need to know for sure" She said, before heading to her and Frederick Edward Weasley's room. She pulled on his shirt and took in the smell. Fred - Her true love.

She floated a box down from the top of the cupboard and settled in a chair to read its contents. Letters he sent her. Presents he gave her like a rose from their first date which she'd compressed so she could keep it forever or a playing card of his favourite Quidditch player. She found the first letter he'd sent to her and read it.

_Chloe,_

_Glad to hear your prank worked. We definitely need to do a follow up, something a lot more wicked than turning people into French men for a week. I would've loved to see Dumbledore with the twirly moustache though._

_Yeah, all's going well in the shop. Business is booming. It's amazing how many adults actually buy pranks while their children are at Hogwarts. We had a grandfather in the other week to get something to prank his grandkids. He was our Grandfather; you'd think he would go to Zonko's. He just wanted to pop in for a chat though. He did buy something to get my mum with though._

_George and I moved in to our own fully furnished flat last week, we still have to paint the Living Room and buy a new sofa (the one in their was hideous), but other than that the place is lovely, it even has a balcony. We're having a flat warming in a few weeks; you can come if you want._

_We're working on a new prototype that makes you grow an extra arm, only problem is we can't work out the antidote. George has had to cut a whole in a lot of his shirts. Hopefully he'll have the correct amount of arms soon._

_How's school? What are you good at? George and I were awful in school; we couldn't pay attention to all the boring topics. Potions was brilliant though and (shh don't tell) Snape was a good teacher._

_Fred x_

She had tears slipping from her eyes but she blinked them away and pulled out the second letter.

_Chloe,_

_Trelawney predicted the truth, huh? I wonder who this 'handsome fellow' is? Who else has been sending you letters? She has her moments when she is a true seer though. McGonagall hated, well not hated but disliked me too, I was the worst student ever at Transfiguration, give me and apple and ask me to turn it into an orange, I'll turn it into a melon. My swish and flick in Charms was brilliant, if I do say so myself._

_George is wondering who I am writing too. He's trying to peer over my shoulder and read this. Should I tell him it's a gorgeous girl who is getting letters from a 'handsome fellow'? By the way, you'll have to let me know who this 'fellow' (Your word or Trelawney's) is, so I can go to him and steal the title._

_Was going through the weekly batch of hate mail today and some guy sent us a howler because his son turned him orange with one of our pranks. He should punish the son, not our ears. We don't get much though, a couple or so letters a week. Usually they are just thrown out after being read._

_Great idea about the paint party, I could get my bedroom painted too. Its light green just now, but I fancy going various shades of blue. Are you going to be helping us paint, I'm sure your splashes will be phenomenal. In nursery, the teacher said I was the best artist in the class, when I looked back at my work I saw that the house was 2 times a small as my dad and that Bill had two heads. She lied to me. Evil Miss Goodberry. What did you do other than slip in our store during the summer? I helped a girl heal a bump._

_Fred x_

Chloe wiped her eyes again and picked up the next letter.

_Chloe,_

_Can I call you Clo? I like to call people by nick names rather than full names._

_You think she's got a crush on me. Well maybe I should ask her out? What do you think? No, sadly I do not think Cybil Trelawney and I will be a perfect couple. Even thinking about it scares me. But if you think we would, I will ask her out, take her a rose and on a romantic date. My eyes however are on another, so it would be wrong of me to deceive poor Cybil._

_From our short meeting in W3 and our previous couple of correspondences I have deduced that you Ms Chloe Malfoy (What's your middle name? Mines Edward (I hate it)):_

_Are beautiful (don't deny it again, it's true)  
You enjoy art  
You are disliked by Prof McGonagall  
You like pranking your brother  
You enjoy making art (Lovely badge by the way, thanks for sending it) _**(Note: Badge said 'Handsome Fellow')  
**_You are willing to do manual labour for biscuits, drinks and maybe even a pizza, if you're lucky)  
You do not read signs  
You have been all around the world, but you think some of the most beautiful sites can be found anywhere in the world  
You agree Snape is a good teacher  
You have manners._

_Can't wait for the paint party, this lovely girl has agreed to come._

_Fred xx_

She smiled at the memories that flooded her. She remembered reading the letter and smiling for an entire day afterwards. Everyone wanted to know why she couldn't stop smiling, but she wouldn't say.

_Chloe Aphrodite Malfoy AKA Clo_

_I looked up your middle name; she was the goddess of love. I think the name is very fitting for you. I have a feeling that you take after her and are very loving. You seem fiercely loyal to your close friends and brother, your stories are wonderful and show the love you hold for these people. They should feel blessed to have you loving and protecting them._

_You said I'm a sweet talker, I don't think so. I just talk the truth. Thank you for all the sweet things you said about me. You seem to see me in a way that no one else has ever claimed to._

_I was in Hogsmeade yesterday and I got you something, I'll give it to you at the party, I think it'll go well with the overalls we'll all be wearing._

_On another note, I saw Trelawney in Diagon Alley; I was very tempted into going up to her and asking her if she liked anyone. See you tomorrow Ms Love, can't wait._

_Fred xx_

Chloe wiped away more tears that were falling, if he was gone forever, her heart would break. She let the memory of the paint party flood her.

_Flashback_

_Chloe floo'ed to the flat through Severus' fire place and stepped out to see Fred sitting smiling at her, already in red overalls. She was dressed in simple denim jeans, a white vest top and trainers and her hair was up in a secure but messy bun._

"_Hi" She said._

"_Hey" He replied. He held up a rose._

"_For you" He said. She smiled. He got up and tucked the rose into her hair._

"_Thanks" She said, biting her lip in nervousness. He kissed her forehead and Chloe could feel the electric sparks between them. It was such a brilliant feeling. She was falling head over heals for this guy and she was letting it happen._

_George entered the room and smiled at her._

"_Hi" He said,_

"_Hi" she replied._

"_Lovely flat" she said looking around. She noticed the balcony and could see the lovely view already._

"_That is an awesome view" She was saying, just as Ron and Ginny floo'ed in. To say they were shocked at seeing her would be an understatement (Ron fell over and Ginny's mouth was agape)._

"_Hi" She said._

"_Hi" Ginny replied. Ron however was speechless._

"_Thank God, you finally got my little brother to shut up" Fred said._

"_Come on, I'll give you a tour Clo" He said._

"_You ok?" He asked as he led her into what must be his bedroom – green walls, sheets on floor, paint waiting, already in trays. Chloe nodded._

"_I'm glad you're here" He said._

"_Me too" She said. She caught his eyes and again bit her lip._

"_I know we have the whole your father's a death eater thing to deal with, but I just want to say, that I like you Chloe and I want to explore everything this relationship has to offer, friendship or more. I'm willing to wait, to do anything that will make you happy" Fred said. Chloe replied to his statement by wrapping her arms around his neck and went up on her tip-toes._

"_Me too" She whispered in his ear. They leaned in and kissed each other, a long hard passionate fiery kiss, that made Chloe weak at the knees._

_The paint party went well. Along with Fred, George, Chloe, Ron and Ginny so many others showed up. Bill, Charlie, Percy, Oliver Wood, Angelina, Alicia, Katie, Lee and countless others. Paint went on the walls, the overalls, Chloe and Fred even had a paint war which ended in a breathtaking kiss, but that was when everyone had left._

_Chloe stayed the night and they chatted for hours, finally falling asleep at 3 am on a mattress on the balcony. Curled together as if they had always been like that._

_End Flashback_

She couldn't stop the tears falling now. Fred was missing. She didn't even want to think about the fact he could be captured or dead. No, because that would mean she would never see his smile again, hear him laugh, hear the explosions when he was making pranks with George, see him talk with his hands when he was really excited about something, she would never settle into the comfort of his lap again, she would never feel that feeling of being completely safe and happy again. She wanted him back. She wanted to sit curled in his lap and talk to him. Hear his voice. She feared she would never hear it again. She wiped at her eyes a few times to dry away the tears.

She found some photographs at the bottom of the box and looked through them.

A photo of them painting at the paint party, the flower in her hair.  
A photo of them after their paint fight.  
A photo of her the night on the balcony, smiling up at the camera.  
A photo of Fred and George holding up one of their newest prototypes.  
A photo of her in Fred's lap fast asleep on his shoulder.  
A photo of her room at Hogwarts, with Fred jumping on her bed.  
Photo's of them on their trip to Muggle London's Landmarks.  
A photo of her with him her lap, both of them smiling.  
Photo's of them on their trip in Edinburgh…

So many happy photos - photo's of their love. She sniffed and placed the photos back in the box.

She placed the box on the floor and held her tummy.

"Your Daddy loves you baby" She told her bump, tears steadily falling from her eyes.

"Your daddy will always be watching over you. Whether they find him or …" She said through tears. She couldn't finish the sentence yet, not until there was proof.

"He loves you so much baby. Never ever think that he doesn't" She said.

There was a knock on the door, but she didn't reply. Severus entered a minute later. Chloe gave her father figure a weak smile, through her tears.

"Were combing the battlefield, so far no luck" He said. Chloe nodded and touched her tummy.

"Dad, can I have a hug?" She asked. He came over to her without question and she squeezed along so he could sit. She hugged into him and he wrapped his arms around her. They sat in silence.

Severus noticed she was sleeping a while later and carried her over to the bed and folded the sheet over her. He looked at her growing bump and hoped that they found Fred. That he wasn't dead or a prisoner. For Chloe's sake and their unborn baby. He didn't want this girl, which he thought of as a daughter, to go through any more pain. He kissed her forehead, then left the room.

George apparated back with his brother in his arms.

"He's lost a lot of blood" He announced. Madam Pomfrey rushed over.

"Lay him down on the table" She said. She performed some healing charms on the deepest of his wounds and gave him some pain relief. George sat nervously awaiting a verdict on the sofa. He was biting his nails and watching the scene, hoping his twin would pull through.

"Bloody hell" He heard his brother exclaim.

"I thought I was a goner" Fred said weakly. Their mother rushed over and pulled Fred into the largest hug.

"Clo?" Fred asked.

"She's upstairs" Severus said entering the room, a smile on his face.

Fred stood unsteadily up.

"You're not fully healed" Madam Pomfrey exclaimed.

"Let him have a moment with his fiancé Poppy" Dumbledore said. The nurse nodded. Fred smiled at his former Headmaster.

Fred headed up the stairs and into his and Chloe's room at Grimmauld Place. He saw Chloe asleep in the bed and the box of letters, photo's and gift's on the chair. He slipped down into the bed and shook his love softly awoke. Her eyes fluttered open.

"Is it really you?" She asked.

"Yeah, it's me, my love" He said. She touched his face softly.

"I love you Clo, so much I can't describe it in words. You are my world and you kept me alive" He said. Chloe looked at him through teary eyes.

"I thought you were gone forever" She said.

"Never, my love" He said, she kissed him passionately in reply.

The next day, he handed her a letter.

"For the box" He said. It was addressed, Chloe Aphrodite Malfoy AKA Clo AKA Ms Love AKA soon-to-be Mrs Weasley, In bed beside me, 12 Grimmauld Place. She smiled, opened it and pulled out the letter.

_Clo,_

_Yesterday I nearly lost you. I was ambushed in battle and managed to kill them, but suffered injuries because of the attack. I was in a far way part of the battlefield and I remember looking up at the sky with one thought and that was of you, my love and our unborn baby._

_I prayed that someone would find me and return me to you, so that you and my baby would never be without me. Someone answered that prayer and I remember seeing my twin approaching just as a fell into unconsciousness._

_I was returned to you, my guiding light, my angel, my love. I will forever hold you in my arms and feel so much love for you. I'm going to spend my life with you, our baby and the babies to come. I promise myself to you forever. The one place I have felt most safe and comfortable is holding you close in my arms, protecting you from harm._

_Forever yours,_

_Fred xxxxxxxx_

Chloe looked up at her true love and smiled. She felt so lucky. She had found her true love, lost him for a while, but someone had heard their calls to be returned to each other and they had given her back her true love.

The war ended, 2 weeks later, 2 days after Christmas. Their baby was born 5 months after that and they named their son, Adonis George Weasley (meaning man loved by Aphrodite, handsome). It seemed fitting.

Chloe curled up in her fiancé's lap holding their day old baby.

She smiled up at Fred.

"Now he's protected too" She said, before kissing her son's head.


End file.
